Soon all Christian churches will be celebrating the festival of Pentecost.

Some people refer to Pentecost as “the birthday of the Church”. Sceptics naturally disregard that assumption, seeing nothing significant in the continuing growth of the followers of the Way. Many still regard the Church as being no more than a humanitarian social grouping, and argue that a birthday means nothing more than a recurring moment in time. Homo sapiens appears to be moribund, not just in behaviour, but also in thinking. To really grasp the spiritual value of Pentecost, one needs to realise that it is an ongoing and perpetual revelation that life is a spiritual business. The Spirit changes everything. Luke tells us that at Pentecost a startling transformation swept over the early disciples, changing their way of understanding things, enthusing them with new courage and a desire to share their Christian belief with others

. Astonishingly, stimulated by tongues of fire around them, they received the unique power to declare openly their faith in words that could be understood by every person in the crowds who were streaming into Jerusalem. convincing hundreds of them to believe" Amazingly, the Apostles were also empowered to perform miraculous acts of healing.

As their numbers grew, the believers felt impelled to share not only their faith, but also their food and possessions with the new converts, “with glad and humble hearts, ” They even provided for the widows in their company. This rallying effect of the Spirit upon the Church prompted sever all individuals to travel widely, spreading the Gospel message to any who would care to listen.

That has been the repeated experience of Pentecosts in the past., inspiring missionaries to preach and to journey throughout the world, driven by their faith. The Holy Spirit may still surprise us yet !